


cosmically intertwined

by kaci3PO



Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: F/M, M/M, Minor Barry Allen/Iris West, Minor Cisco Ramon/Lisa Snart, Multi, POV Bisexual Character, POV Character of Color, many earths theory
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-04
Updated: 2015-11-04
Packaged: 2018-04-29 20:02:36
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,840
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5140754
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kaci3PO/pseuds/kaci3PO
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"I'd track you down in a thousand timelines, if I had to."</p>
            </blockquote>





	cosmically intertwined

**Earth-1**

The thing about Jay Garrick showing up in S.T.A.R. Labs is that his existence didn't just prove that there was an Earth-2 in an alternate universe. After all, the many universes theory doesn't just posit that there's _one_ alternate Earth in existence; it posits that there are _infinite_ Earths in _infinite_ universes, meaning there is quite literally an Earth in which every single possibility that could ever be imagined is true. A universe where Barry isn't the Flash? Sure. A universe where Ronnie never became F.I.R.E.S.T.O.R.M.? Absolutely. A universe where Cisco's the golden child and Dante is the outcast? Yep, and a particular favorite of Cisco's.

But at the heart of these many universes is this: essentially, they're just alternate timelines. And alternate timelines? Those are Cisco's _jam_. And once he gets control of his powers, he can't resist the temptation to look in on his other selves, just to see. Theoretically, there's a universe where he wins a Nobel and lives in a mansion made of candy with his supermodel husbands and wives. Why _wouldn't_ Cisco want to see what his other selves are making of his life?

But the weird thing is, although there's an infinite number of Earths for an infinite number of possibilities, the overall picture starts to show some trends. He becomes an engineer in 85% of the universes he checks in on. It's rare to find a universe in which he doesn't love Twizzlers. And maybe Barry was right that day when he said they were meant to be bros, because it seems like they find each other, over and over again, no matter what each particular universe throws at them. But then it gets complicated because the majority of _those_ times, the instances where they've met and become friends, things between them don't really… _stay_ that way.

 

**Earth-12**

Barry is a barista. Cisco's favorite barista, actually, and not just because he's adorable and looks really good in a green apron. He has this way of inventing drinks, mixing flavors to create something more than the sum of its parts. Cisco suspects it's the chemistry major in him. And considering how many late nights Cisco's been pulling lately to study for midterms, he's needed a barista who could make his caffeine new and exciting to keep him from getting sick of it.

He likes the coffeehouse for the fact that it's open overnight despite the fact that Cisco himself is usually the only customer. His roommate, though nice, has a girlfriend he regularly brings back to their dorm, and Cisco's headphones are only so good at canceling noise. 

It's nice, the late nights with just him and Barry, both of them working on their homework in the companionable quiet until Barry has to dash behind the counter to serve the stray customers the handful of times they actually show up. Barry's nice like that, and though Cisco has tried studying at the library like a normal undergraduate, he's found that he studies much better with Barry across the table. Maybe that's the coffee talking, but he doesn't think so. Barry's presence is solid and reassuring. Cisco's come to think of those quiet moments as the happiest part of his day.

He stops by on a Saturday evening, early enough that there's still half a dozen people getting a fresh cup before heading off to their wild weekend plans. Cisco himself has no such plans, but with his roommate out of town he has no real reason to avoid his dorm. He has vague notions of going to bed at a decent hour for once.

Barry is behind the counter, mixing drinks with a confident flair, but when he notices Cisco in the line he smiles and gives him a quick nod. Beside him, his coworker glances between them and then nudges Barry in the ribs. He turns his attention back to her and after a quick, emphatic argument, he goes back to mixing the next customer's drink.

By the time Cisco gets to the front of the line, Barry's busy cleaning the frother on the other side of the counter. He tries not to be disappointed.

"Hi," the woman at the cash register says. Her name tag introduces her as 'Iris'. "What can I get for you?"

Cisco opens his mouth to order, but before he can say anything, Barry walks by and says, "Just ring him up for a black coffee. I've got something I want him to try, but it's strictly off-menu."

He shoots Cisco a smile and heads to the machines to mix it up, and Iris dutifully rings him up for a plain coffee with an odd sort of smile on her face. "It might take him a minute," she says. "It's Cisco, right? The study buddy?"

"I guess you could say that," Cisco agrees. "If just studying in proximity counts."

She nods. "He says it helps, having someone else there who's suffering, too."

"Misery loves company," Cisco agrees. "Having him there helps me, too."

She glances over her shoulder, where Barry is writing on Cisco's cup with a Sharpie and preparing to pour his drink, then says quietly, "Take care of him, okay?"

"Well, I don't really know anything about chemistry," Cisco says, confused.

"No, I meant—" she starts to say, but Barry interrupts her by motioning Cisco down to the pick up section of the counter.

He holds the cup out with both hands, an excited grin on his face that Cisco finds far too charming for his own good. "I call it the Flash," Barry says proudly. "It's got so much caffeine in it that it'll have you running around like you're on speed. Thought it'd be perfect for study nights."

"Thanks," Cisco says, taking it. He blows on it, giving it a second to cool, then carefully takes a small sip. "Oh wow," he says. "That's got a kick to it."

"Yeah?" Barry asks. "Good kick or bad kick?"

"Good," Cisco assures him, and takes another drink. He lets out a surprised laugh when it hits him. "I wasn't planning on studying tonight, but—"

"Oh gosh," Barry says quickly, reaching out like he's going to take the drink back. "Sorry, I had no idea, I'm so used to you being here over night, I didn't even think — of course you have plans, it's a Saturday. I'm sorry. I ruined your evening. You could've totally told me no, I wouldn't— Here, let me have the cup back, I'll just throw it away, it was a bad idea—."

"I don't have plans," Cisco interrupts. "Unless going to bed early counts as plans."

"Oh," Barry says, looking relieved. "That's...that's good to hear. I mean, not that now you won't be able to go to bed early, I just — I need to stop talking. Um, can I have the cup back, though?"

"Don't I get to finish it?" Cisco asks.

Barry shifts from foot to foot. "It's not that. You can have the drink back if you really like it. I should just put it in a new cup. It's stupid, I let Iris talk me into it and now I'm totally freaking out. This is...really not going how I thought it would."

Cisco lifts the cup to eye level, trying to figure out what on earth Barry is even talking about, because Cisco has _never_ seen him this nervous and fidgety in the entire time they've known each other. They've always been sort of the opposite, really. Cisco finds Barry's presence calming.

Barry makes an abortive gesture like he wants to snatch the cup out of Cisco's hand before he can get a good look at it, but Cisco bats him away and takes a step back, out of his reach. Cisco had just assumed that when Barry was writing on the cup earlier that he was labeling it with Cisco's name, or maybe a list of ingredients and measurements for future reference if his latest coffee experiment went well. Instead, he finds a phone number scrawled out in Barry's neat handwriting, if a little shaky with what Cisco imagines is nervousness. Beneath the number, Barry had drawn a little x and a little o, and then crossed them out like he thought better of it and panicked. When Cisco looks back at Barry, Barry has his forehead pressed into the counter and is making an honest-to-God noise of despair. Cisco flushes and pulls out his phone.

Barry jumps a second later, hand scrabbling at his pocket to pull out his phone, which is now vibrating wildly. Without even looking up, he puts it to his ear and says, "Hello?"

"Hi," Cisco says, and grins when Barry looks up in surprise. He goes to pull the phone away from his ear, but Cisco shakes his head and gestures towards his own. Barry slowly lifts it back up.

"Uh...hi," he says. He sounds bewildered and out of breath, and it's amazing how into that Cisco is.

"So, I just wanted to let you know," Cisco says, "that I don't think I'll be around tonight to study at the coffeehouse."

"Oh," Barry says. He looks confused and maybe a little disappointed.

"Yeah," Cisco says. "This cute barista asked me out."

A smile slowly creeps back onto Barry's face as he catches on. He sounds more confident, more like his usual self, when he says, "He did? I thought he just gave you his number."

"Same thing," Cisco says. "So I was thinking I'd spend the evening with him instead." He wiggles his eyebrows at Barry in what he hopes is a comical but charming manner. "Skip the physics and study some _biology_."

Barry barks out a surprised laugh but doesn't miss a beat. "That's a pretty tough subject. You two will probably need some hands-on lab sessions to really get a feel for it."

"A feel is exactly what I'm hoping to get," Cisco says, and takes another sip of the coffee. "I'm pretty wired from this coffee I got, so I might be up all night. Plenty of time for us to...study."

Iris walks up then, reaching out to put a hand on Barry's shoulder. "Bar, I'm really sorry, I really wanted you two to get a chance to talk, but the line's starting to pick up again. I need help."

"Oh," Barry says. "Sure. I'll be right there."

"Thanks," she says, and shoots an apologetic look at Cisco. It's only then that Cisco remembers that this isn't like their overnights in the shop; there are actual customers around during evening hours.

"Sorry," Barry says once she's gone. "I should get back to making drinks. She's right, the line's getting long again." He seems to realize the phone line is still active, and hastily ends the call and stuffs the phone back in his pocket.

"Don't be sorry," Cisco says. He puts his phone away, too, but not before making sure he saved Barry's contact information. "I can come back later."

"Iris said she'd cover the overnight shift for me if you actually said yes," Barry says. He looks a bit embarrassed and Cisco wishes he could kiss Barry right now, even just a quick chaste one to reassure him that Cisco's just as into him as he seems to be into Cisco. Maybe a little better at hiding it, but that's from lots of practice.

"So I actually get to see you outside the coffeehouse?" Cisco says. "Exciting. I finally get to see Barry Allen without the apron."

Barry flushes and rubs at the back of his neck. "If you play your cards right."

"I've got an excellent poker face," Cisco promises. "I'll be back at around nine, that okay? We can figure the rest out then."

"Yeah," Barry agrees. "Nine's great."

"Cool," Cisco says, and Barry stands there awkwardly grinning at him for a long moment before he remembers he's supposed to be helping Iris and rushes back over to the long line of coffee machines. Cisco watches him work for a moment — he's always loved to watch Barry go wild in his own element behind the counter — then Iris catches him watching and gives him a pleased grin before Cisco finally convinces himself to turn and head back to his dorm.

He's got a date to get ready for.

 

**Earth-1**

Cisco starts to wonder what Barry would think if Cisco told him about his coffeeshop counterpart. Barry asks about his alternates sometimes, just light-hearted questions like what his life is like in a universe where he's a famous movie star or in the one where Star Wars never happened. (Cisco's not fond of that universe. It's a dark place and he doesn't like to go there.) 

So he doesn't think Barry would freak out about knowing what happens to his other selves the way Caitlin does. She refuses to hear any of it, and Cisco suspects it has something to do with losing Ronnie so many times in this world that she can't bear to hear about losing him in others. Or worse, hearing about all the times she never loses him at all, the times where they're happy and in love, the times where their children call Cisco 'Uncle' and beg for him to babysit just because he always brings them candy.

But Barry's never had that problem. He's always wanted to know, and Cisco can feel him working up to asking about Earth-9652, the one where he saved his mother and rewrote history, but Cisco hasn't let himself look at that one. As soon as he saw Barry stop her murder, he noped out and backed off to a respectful distance. It feels wrong, somehow, to poke his nose into that universe uninvited. It's Barry's decision and Cisco has no interest in making it for him.

It's just that sometimes, Cisco finds himself wondering what's different in those other universes, what choices they've made in this universe that have lead them to being friends and nothing more. Here on Earth-1, Barry loves Iris instead of Cisco, and Cisco...well, he wouldn't call it love, but he's also past the point where the thinks he can deny that he and Lisa have...well, they have _something_ , even if neither one of them can decide quite what.

It's scientific curiosity, really, wanting to know what's different in this universe that they buck the trend by not being involved. Maybe it's because Barry lived with Iris and fell deeper in love with her through proximity. Maybe no one else ever had a chance to win his heart. Hell, Cisco's fairly sure that in this universe, Barry Allen has no clue what his own sexual orientation _even is_ outside of, "I love Iris." No one of any gender ever factored in because there's only room for one person in his heart. That's just how Barry is. Nothing by halves. He's all-in.

 

**Earth-942**

Barry is sixteen and his arm burns with heat sharp as steel, wrist in unbearable agony as a name sears itself onto his skin. Joe holds his hand, doesn't even wince when Barry squeezes so hard he nearly breaks bones, and presses a cold cloth to his forehead. His only reaction when he turns over Barry's hand and sees Iris West burned into the inside of his wrist is a sigh.

Barry watches him with scared eyes, waiting to be thrown out or worse, but Joe just rubs at his own temples before rewetting the cloth and pressing it back to Barry's forehead. Barry opens his mouth to say something until the pain comes _back_ , his left wrist this time instead of the right, pain twice as worse because it was unexpected and inexplicable. It's Barry's sixteenth birthday and the name of his soulmate just seared itself onto his skin. So why is the _other_ arm burning now, too?

***

Barry is twenty-five and he wakes in a sterile room, disoriented and confused as to why this moment is being musically accompanied by Lady Gaga. He has one chance to glimpse warm brown eyes before his own shut reflexively after going so long without light.

A hand finds his, squeezing gently before a masculine voice, presumably Brown Eyes, says, "It's okay, Barry. You're safe. Welcome back to the land of the living."

Barry fights to open his eyes again and gets his first real look at Brown Eyes, all warm brown skin and shoulder-length hair that looks so soft Barry's fingers itch to touch it. His hand twitches at the thought, which is what draws his attention back to the fact that Brown Eyes is the one holding his hand. Barry licks his lips and starts to speak, but finds his throat is too dry. Someone else — a pretty woman who has the name 'Ronnie Raymond' curving along her inner forearm — hands him a glass of water, and then immediately after sets down a specimen cup beside him.

"I need a urine sample," she says. With a glance at Brown Eyes, she adds, much more gently, "But for now I'll leave you two alone."

Barry takes two long drinks of the water as she walks away and then turns his attention back on the man. "What did she mean?" he asks. "Leave us alone?"

Brown Eyes bites his lip. "You were in a coma for nine months," he says. "We — Caitlin, Dr. Wells, and I — we've been taking care of you."

"Okay," he says slowly. "That's — thank you. But why do you and I need to be left alone?"

The man stands, turning his back to Barry, and lifts his shirt just high enough to reveal the tattoo on his lower back. Barry can't make the name out at first, the handwriting small and cramped, but when he recognizes his own name his hand flies to his left wrist, clutching the second tattoo that marks his skin.

"I'm Cisco Ramon," Brown Eyes says. "I'm your soulmate."

***

Barry is twenty-six and falling in love with Cisco Ramon is easy, by far the easiest adjustment he has to make in this brave new world of metahuman villainy. It takes all of four months before they move in together, and they only wait that long because Joe convinces Barry that it's one area of his life where he shouldn't move fast.

Barry catches Iris watching them sometimes, sees something like wistfulness in her eyes when Barry kisses Cisco's cheek during the first snowfall of the year, the two of them holding hands and sipping hot chocolates with extra marshmallows. Cisco encourages him to talk to her, offers constant reassurances that he's not jealous, that he'd known what he was getting into since the day Dr. Wells brought Barry into the lab and Cisco saw that his soulmate had two names. That he'd even talked to Iris about it while Barry was in the coma.

But Barry loves her — the both of them — too much for it. He can still remember Iris's sixteenth birthday, remembers waiting outside her bedroom door with bated breath to see if she got his name like he'd gotten hers. Joe had only emerged from the room when her cries of pain had stopped, and the nod he'd given Barry had felt like a bubble of hope in his chest until the following morning when Iris sat down across from him at the breakfast table and declared that she didn't believe in soulmates.

"I'm not going to let some words on my skin decide my future," she had said quietly. "I'm sorry, Barry, but I'm sixteen years old. What kind of life is it where I don't get to make my own choices?"

His name had been written on her hip by the hands of fate and as much as it had and still did hurt, she just wouldn't have been the Iris that he knew and loved if she hadn't insisted that her life and her choices were her own. Strangely, it actually made him love her even more.

So he throws himself into his life with Cisco, into movie nights under shared blankets and kisses stolen so fast that no one else can see. A year in and Barry feels like he's known Cisco forever, like he's loved Cisco in a thousand lifetimes and given the choice would do it for a thousand more. They marry not long after, neither one of them able to think of a single reason to put it off any longer, and Barry spends the honeymoon memorizing the dimples of Cisco's smile.

***

Barry is thirty-five and he finds Iris in his living room, her head resting on Cisco's shoulder. When he sees Barry, Cisco kisses her forehead gently, then stands to let Barry take his place. "You two should talk," he says. "I'll go pick up some dinner. Is Thai okay, babe?" After Barry nods, he asks, "Okay with you, Iris?"

She nods and Barry is afraid to ask why she's staying for dinner, why she's here in the first place, if something is wrong with Joe or worse, but then Cisco gives him a wink and a thumbs up as he leaves so it can't be that bad.

He sits quietly, waiting her out, and for all the set-up for it, the payoff is surprisingly straight-forward.

"I choose you," she says softly. "You understand that, right? It's _my_ choice?" Barry stares at her, surprised and having no idea what has changed, but he nods anyway. He understands choice if nothing else. It somehow means more to him, that she's making the choice of her own free will.

He has half a second to be surprised before she kisses him, soft lips pressed firm against his. After waiting so long to hear those words, he expects to feel...something bigger. Something explosive. Instead he feels warm and happy, like there was something missing in his world and he didn't know it until she chose him of her own free will. Something _was_ missing, of course, but after so long of ignoring it, he finds that he feels it all the more keenly now.

He hasn't kissed anyone other than his husband in a decade, doesn't remember the last time he had to relearn the planes of someone's lips, hasn't actively wanted the touch of someone new for so long that he'd forgotten what it feels like. 

But it's Iris, possibly the only person in the world who fits as easily into his life as Cisco does, and it doesn't really feel like anything new. It feels like coming home after a long day at work, the feeling of relaxing on a favorite chair and inhaling the sweet scent of home. He swipes his thumb over her cheekbone, taking in the curve of her face and the quiet sound of her breathing between their mouths. She fists her hands lightly in his shirt, pulling him to her just that little bit closer, and that is how Cisco finds them when he returns home.

"Plenty of time to swap spit later," Cisco teases. "I brought food. Way better use of your mouths, at least for now."

They break apart and Iris grins at Cisco, bright and happy as Barry's heart thunders in his chest. "Thank you for getting dinner," she says, and crosses the room to press a soft kiss to his cheek.

"Come on, Bar," Cisco says. "Don't want it getting cold."

In that moment, Barry can't stop himself, helpless and overwhelmed, as he speeds across the room and takes Cisco by the waist, kissing him so hard it feels like he's going to drown in it, and then Iris in turn. His chest is heaving when he finally takes a step back from the two of them, shifting awkwardly with embarrassment at his outburst now that the moment has passed and he can think straight.

People with two names aren't supposed to get this. They're not supposed to be allowed to love them both at once, to be surrounded by the people their hearts were _created_ to love.

"It's okay, Barry," Cisco says gently. "Neither of us is going anywhere."

"Promise," Iris agrees.

Barry studies them for a moment, searching their faces for any sign that this isn't alright, that either of them might have a problem with the other. There isn't one.

"Okay," Barry says, awed. "Okay."

 

**Earth-1**

Like the inevitability of death and taxes, Lisa's back in Cisco's life, unreadable and as evil as ever. He's not proud of it, but he can't stop the way he magnetizes to her, the way rational thought gets thrown to the wind when she's around. She's _Lisa Snart_ , and denying her was never an option.

He finds himself actually asking her on a real date of all things, trying to make it sound like a joke in case she says no, but Lisa, she likes to keep him on his toes. She hesitates, and then says, "Okay," with a little half shrug of her shoulders. "My brother's going to kill you," she adds, and this time when Cisco laughs it's because she's probably right.

Barry's livid when he finds out, like _he_ didn't make a deal with Captain Cold and then actually go rescue the guy from his dad, and Cisco finds himself inordinately annoyed about it.

"It's not like she's going to kill me," Cisco says. "I mean, she did kidnap me that one time, but even her brother didn't kill me."

"No, he just gave Dante frostbite and threatened to kill him," Barry snaps. "They're _Snarts_. You can't trust them."

"She trusts me."

"Because you're Cisco!" Barry shouts. "There are nuns less trustworthy than you!"

"It'll be fine, man. If something goes wrong, I've got you on speed dial."

Barry shakes his head and Cisco can see his jaw clench. He looks away and says quietly, "She's dangerous. I don't— I don't get it, man. Why her? Fine, that first night, we didn't know who she was. Hell, I encouraged you. But now...you can date other people, you know. People who I haven't personally watched _turn a living human being into gold_."

"Maybe I like dangerous," Cisco says. "Maybe I like _her_."

"And no one else?" Barry asks. "You can date someone else."

"Not all of us got abs when the particle accelerator blew," Cisco says.

"I— that's not fair, Cisco. I didn't ask for that."

"I didn't say you did," Cisco counters. "I like Lisa. Lisa likes me. You're right, she's probably dangerous and I don't know if I'll ever be able to completely trust her, but maybe I like that feeling. Maybe I deserve a little excitement of my own. Maybe—"

"Cisco, please," Barry says, and his voice comes out desperate and soft. "Please don't do this. The last time you went somewhere alone with her, you got taken. I just...left you alone with her and we didn't know where you were or if we'd ever get you back. Your brother was nearly killed. Snart learned my real name. Nothing good ever comes of this. _Please_."

"Lisa did," Cisco says. "Lisa is...she's something good."

Barry scrubs a hand over his face. "At least let me follow you guys. I won't interrupt and she won't know I'm there. Just in case."

Cisco sighs. "Barry…"

"Please, Cisco," Barry says. "Please just let me do this."

Barry looks at him with big, sad eyes and crosses the room to stand in Cisco's personal space, hands on his shoulders and staring him right in the eye.

Cisco must just be a mess when it comes to beautiful people in general because before he can stop himself, he finds himself saying, "Okay. If that's what you need to do."

Barry heaves a sigh of relief and smiles at him, just a little watery. "Thank you, man," Barry says. He pulls Cisco into a hug. "I'm not gonna let her hurt you again." 

Cisco hugs him back tightly and says nothing.

 

**Earth-563**

"So," Cisco says. He's alone with Barry in the cortex, waiting around to see if their heroic services will be needed tonight. Barry's sitting on top of the desk, his feet kicking back and forth as they dangle, not quite reaching the floor. Cisco wants to laugh because right now Barry looks less like the Flash and more like a slightly bored toddler.

"I was wondering," Cisco continues. He turns his eyes back to his computer screen, staring at it rather than face Barry. For all that it's important scientific knowledge and as scientists they should be able to talk about it, Barry got weird when they tried to bring it up last time. Maybe a lack of eye contact will help. "Have you experimented any more with that thing we talked about when you started dating Linda? Going too fast?"

Out of the corner of his eye, he can see Barry go still. "I...no, actually. Nothing since that day I pretty much scared her away from doing anything more than kissing me ever again."

"Hm," Cisco says. "Not even...by yourself?"

Barry coughs. Cisco risks a glance and finds Barry staring at the wall and looking very much like he'd like to partially phase through it and then leave himself inside it for eternity, just to avoid this conversation. "Uh...well. Yes. By myself."

"Good," Cisco says. And then, to lighten the mood, "I would've been worried if you'd said no. Not as a scientist, as a friend."

Barry snorts out a laugh and finally lets himself look over at Cisco as the tension breaks. Cisco smiles at him brightly and says, "It would be really good if we had at least one data point while you were with a partner. Sex is different with a partner, so looking at the different responses between with a partner and without would help a lot."

Barry shrugs. "Sorry, man. Science is gonna have to wait until someone wants to date me."

"Who said anything about dating?" Cisco teases. "Just hang out at a bar for five minutes. Someone will try to take you home."

"I think we learned our lesson after that thing with the Snarts."

"Good point," Cisco concedes.

He stares at Barry. Barry stares at him. Neither one of them blinks and Barry keeps licking his lips which is just beyond distracting.

"It would have to be someone I trust," Barry says.

"That narrows down the list."

"Yeah," Barry agrees, and begins ticking names off his fingers. "Iris isn't interested; Eddie is so comfortable in his heterosexuality that he'd do it as a favor but I'd feel guilty, Caitlin and Ronnie are married; Felicity and Oliver aren't available; Digg is also married; Ray would probably do it for the science but I'd feel weird about him being Felicity's ex; I'm _definitely_ not considering Joe or Dr. Wells; they're firmly in the 'dad' category..."

"Which just leaves me," Cisco says, before he can think better of it.

Barry gives a little self-deprecating laugh. "Ha, it has to be someone who actually wants to do it."

Cisco swallows and then repeats, "Like I said, that just leaves me."

"Oh," Barry says, surprised. It sounds like the pleased sort of surprise, which is nice, considering that the other option was horror.

"It's for science," Cisco reminds him, helpfully.

Barry barks out a laugh and rubs at the back of his neck. "It's...kind of been a long time since I studied that kind of science."

"I could hook you up with some remedial classes."

"Are you...putting the _moves_ on me?"

"Little bit, yeah," Cisco chuckles. "Is it working?"

Barry laughs. "You know what? It kinda is."

"My plan continues apace." Cisco grins. "Soon I'll have you in my lab and harvest all your sweet, sweet data."

"That...sounds really dirty."

"Well, you know me. Using your love of science to convince you to sleep with me."

"I haven't said yes yet," Barry points out. "I mean, I'm going to, but you're still being _very_ presumptuous."

Cisco shrugs, not sorry at all. "I have sensors, if it helps. No one can resist sensors."

"I certainly can't," Barry agrees. He pauses, then asks, "Are we really doing this?"

"I think we are," Cisco says. He stands, then nods towards the lab. "Do you want to do this here?"

"God, no," Barry says way too quickly. "I can't get sexy in the place where Caitlin patches me up on a weekly basis. It's like a hospital. Hospitals aren't sexy."

"Clearly you've never seen Grey's Anatomy," Cisco says. "Which is a tragedy, but we'll fix that later. I've got a lot of emotions about Cristina Yang and we don't have time for that if we're going to finish all my tests tonight."

"There's more than one test?" 

"Why not?" Cisco asks. "You've got the refractory period for it. Unless you have a problem with multiple orgasms."

"No, no problem," Barry says, holding up his hands defensively. "If you think you're up for it."

Cisco can't exactly leave a challenge like that dangling, so he crosses the room, fists his hands in the front of Barry's shirt, and kisses him. Barry gasps against him in surprise and lets out a soft moan when Cisco swipes his tongue across Barry's lips. But Cisco pulls back before Barry can part them for him, and places his palm flat on Barry's chest.

"I'm up for it, dude. Are you?"

Barry reacts quicker than Cisco can register, and before he can blink they're no longer in the cortex, but in his lab. Barry sets him down and says, "Get your sensors," like it's a command. The funny part is that it's not, it's a plea, and Cisco kind of likes having Barry worked up over him. He makes all the requisite grumbling noises about unfair uses of superpowers, but it's only cursory; he grabs a duffle and stuffs it with his equipment before heading into Caitlin's med bay and grabbing a tube of her medical grade lubricant. Probably not strictly necessary to use the medical quality stuff, but Barry said it had been awhile since he got laid; Cisco's taking not chances with his test results.

Barry has him in a bridal carry before Cisco even finishes zipping the bag shut, and admittedly he's not particularly concerned about it since two seconds later, they're in Cisco's apartment and he's being soundly kissed by his best friend.

"How'd you unlock the door?" Cisco asks between kisses. "You didn't phase us through the wall, did you? In the future, I'd like to be asked for permission before any wall-phasing."

"Picked your pocket for the key," Barry answers. "It's alright?"

"Yeah," Cisco says. "Yeah, it is so freaking alright."

The bag got dropped when Barry started kissing him, but Cisco takes the half-step back he needs to keep himself from just jumping Barry and having his way with him now, scientific progress be damned, and picks it up off the floor.

"Go on into my bedroom," Cisco says, pointing the way. "I'm going to grab some bottles of water and some of those protein bars I make for you. I don't want your blood sugar getting low halfway through the experiment. Orgasm number four's no fun if you passed out during orgasm number two."

Barry's gone in a flurry of wind, so Cisco calls down the hall, "And take your clothes off while you're at it. I've got sensors to attach to your delicate parts before I ravish you."

He smiles when he hears Barry's laugh, and takes his time gathering the bag, the water, and the food before he heads down the hall to join him. It would be a lie to say he's not a little nervous, but he can hide behind the science of it all if he needs to. Barry doesn't really have that luxury.

It's not actually the first time Cisco's seen Barry naked. He was in a coma for nine months and with only the three of them left, Cisco ended up acting as an assistant to Caitlin more often than not. Nine months is a long time and certain basic necessities had to be tended to while Barry was out of commission. Barry's naked body became part of the scenery.

But this...this is a new thing entirely. This is Barry naked in a _sexual_ context. Naked on Cisco's bed. Naked on Cisco's bed and waiting for Cisco to have his way with him.

Cisco's never been this turned on by _scenery_.

"I—" Cisco starts, then stops and clears his throat. "Are you comfortable?" He tosses the water and food to Barry for later use when he needs them, then sets the bag on the bed and starts unpacking.

"Yeah," Barry answers. "Your bed is soft."

"You look good in it," Cisco blurts out.

Barry touches Cisco's arm gently, causing him to look up and meet Barry's eyes. "We're going to be alright after this, right?" Barry asks. "Because if this is going to make us lose each other, the science can go hang."

"No," Cisco promises. He covers Barry's hand with his own and gives it a quick squeeze. "I'm just getting you off in the name of research. Nothing friendship-ruining about that."

Barry laughs but settles back down against the pillows, all long slender body and sharp angles. Cisco's already cataloguing exactly where he wants to drag his tongue as he puts the sensors on Barry's body and fires up the tablet to receive the data. He would've brought an audio recorder to dictate his notes into, but that felt a little too much like making a sex tape. They'll just have to piece them together later with their memories.

When he's done, he gets to his feet and tugs his shirt off over his head, watching Barry's face for his reaction. He's rewarded with Barry licking his lips and reaching for the button on his pants, but Cisco steps back and wags a finger at him.

"If you somehow manage to still have energy when we're finished, and assuming you actually want to, you can touch me when the tests are over. This is about you right now."

Barry holds his hands up in surrender, then tucks them behind his head. Cisco has to look away as he takes his pants off because Barry looks unfairly good right now. He leaves the boxers on, since most of what's about to happen doesn't require him to be naked. If Barry minds, he doesn't show it, just reaches for Cisco and pulls, tugging Cisco on top of him. He smiles gently up at Cisco and plays with the hair at the nape of Cisco's neck.

Cisco dips his head down to kiss Barry softly, making a point of going slow. Barry sighs against him, a contented sort of noise that Cisco feels in his own chest. He sets about making Barry do it again, and another after that, before he finally dips his tongue past Barry's lips. Barry's fingers clench reflexively before he relaxes again, and Cisco pulls back enough to ask, "What was that?"

"It— you know, things move fast."

Cisco glances down between them. "You didn't—"

"No!" Barry says quickly. "Not _that_ fast. But kissing feels a lot more...intense than it did before the lightning." His chest is rising faster than it was before they started, and Cisco feels unreasonably proud of himself. "I react quicker."

"Maybe I'm just a really good kisser," Cisco teases. "But noted."

Barry kisses him again before he can say anything else, and Cisco lowers his hips enough that he can feel Barry's erection against him. Barry moans low in the back of his throat and rocks against him, which really makes Cisco wish he hadn't said Barry couldn't touch him until the science was done.

"Do you think you can get off from this?" Cisco asks. Barry's eyes are closed and his head is tilted back, exposing that beautiful, long neck of his. Cisco kisses it, dragging his tongue along his pulse, and Barry gasps before he manages to answer.

"Yes. Fuck— yes, I can."

"Good," Cisco says. He moves his lips to the shell of Barry's ear and whispers, "Don't hold back, Barry. The sooner you come from this, the sooner you get my hand on you. You want that?"

Barry moans. He guides Cisco's mouth to his neck again, and Cisco smiles against him before sucking a hickey into the spot where the curve of his neck meets his shoulder. It won't last for very long thanks to how fast he heals, but that doesn't stop it from feeling really good now; he knows because Barry moans his appreciation and the only thing that comes out of his mouth is a string of curses. Cisco's never had a thing for it before, but he thinks he's developing a kink for Barry swearing. Maybe he should teach Barry some Spanish ones for variety.

It doesn't take long for Barry to come. Cisco knew that going into this, had expected it, brought sensors to _record it_ , and yet somehow he wasn't prepared. Barry is...fuck, he's ridiculously attractive all the time, but it turns out he's fucking _beautiful_ when he comes, long lashes batting as his eyes flutter shut, body shuddering so fast it feels like he's vibrating against Cisco's lips. It's really not fair that Cisco isn't allowed to get off until the end of this. Frankly, he could come from just _watching_ Barry like that, if he really wanted to.

"You ever consider the fact that you're basically a human vibrator now?" Cisco asks without really expecting an answer. "You're like a Real Doll turned up to eleven."

Barry clutches at Cisco's arms, not speaking, shaking through the last of his orgasm, and then stares up at Cisco with bleary eyes. "That's not — that's not funny."

"Wasn't joking," Cisco says. "I bet you give amazing oral now."

Barry laughs, which Cisco takes as his cue to climb off of him and reach for the tablet. Barry takes a drink of water before grabbing some tissues to clean off his stomach, so Cisco busies himself with going over the data from the first experiment. He's only just starting to put together some theories in his head when Barry's arms wrap around his waist from behind, taking the tablet from him and then tugging Cisco down onto his back. Barry straddles him, hands tucking into the waistband of Cisco's underwear, teasing the bare skin underneath without actually pulling down. He looks absurdly good in Cisco's lap.

"We could try it," Barry says. "I could blow you."

"Can't," Cisco replies. "I don't have your recovery time."

Barry raises his eyebrow. "What, you have plans?"

"Of course I have plans," Cisco says. "This is an experiment and someone's got to fuck you later."

He'd meant it to come out casual, but Barry visibly swallows and grinds down against Cisco's hips, just once, but enough for Cisco to take notice. "Oh," Barry says. His mouth sounds dry. "Okay. Yeah. Worth saving it for."

Cisco pushes himself up onto his elbows. "That's okay, right? If you don't want to, we don't have to go that far. Or you can fuck me, I don't have a preference, it's—"

"I do," Barry interrupts. "Have a preference, I mean. And yes, it's _very_ okay."

"Oh," Cisco echoes. "Okay, then. That's...good."

"Can we just skip to that, though?" Barry asks. "We can do the other stuff another time."

"Why? Isn't the other stuff the point of the experiment?"

"Well…" Barry blushes, the redness spreading down his chest, and fuck, Cisco's enjoying this more than he probably should. "Can we do the experiment some other time and just...have sex now?"

Cisco stares up at him, wondering if Barry really understands what he's just said. They're only supposed to be doing this for the experiment to begin with. Cisco wooed him with the promise of data, not with the promise of...well, _Cisco_. Barry's expression doesn't change, though, and Cisco would be lying if he said he didn't want Barry with or without the data, too, so he surges up to kiss Barry and reaches for the lube he discarded earlier.

Barry shifts forward a little, making it easier for Cisco to tease him with one slick finger. He can feel Barry shaking with the effort of not grabbing the lube himself and having this done faster than Cisco can even blink. There's a certain appeal to that, but Cisco's too entranced by the sight of Barry rocking back against his finger, trying to get it inside. Barry said it had been awhile since he'd gotten laid, but Cisco wonders how long it's been since he had this in specific, since someone truly and properly fucked him. If it's something he enjoys so much, Cisco fully volunteers for the duty, just add it to his responsibilities at S.T.A.R. Labs. Update the security feeds? Check. Repair the damage to the suit from last night's firefight? Check. Fuck Barry's brains out? On it.

"You can go ahead," Barry says. "Even if it's too fast...super healing."

"Super healing or not, I want you to enjoy this."

"I am."

"And it's going to stay that way," Cisco insists. "Give me this, Barry. You've got your super heroics. I've got being better in bed than a guy as nerdy as I am has any right to be. Let me show off a little."

Barry laughs. "Cisco, you're talking to the guy who makes that 'Jizz in My Pants' song look _slow_. Anything looks impressive right now."

"If worst comes to worst, you invest in a cock ring," Cisco says. "You wanted to forget the experiment and just have sex, so let me sex you."

Barry rolls his eyes, or starts to, but Cisco finally breaches him and they end up rolling back in his head instead. Cisco beams.

Barry's fingers have gone white from squeezing the sheets too hard by the time Cisco's got three fingers in him, and Cisco can't help himself, he only has so much restraint. It's not his fault that Barry looks really good like this, and it's not his fault that he has to do something about it. It's like saying the sky is blue. Barry Allen is beautiful and Cisco has to be inside him already. Both sentences are just facts.

He feels like he's lost his mind. His logical, rational mind has left him and something more basic and unthinking has taken its place. The thirty seconds it takes him to retrieve a condom and put it on feels like it lasts forever. He wonders if this is what it feels like for Barry when he's going fast, this sense of everything in slow motion and seconds taking hours.

Barry reaches for his cock as soon as he has the condom on, holding it still as he starts to lower himself. Cisco barely manages to gasp out the words, "Slow, slow, Barry, don't go fast, we don't know—"

Barry bites his lip so hard it starts to bleed and Cisco can tell this is killing him, but they honestly have no idea what would happen if Barry used his powers like this. There's speed and friction in delicate places to consider and Cisco wants to enjoy this, not end up in Caitlin's make-shift E.R. for some highly embarrassing treatment.

When Barry does finally seat himself against Cisco's hips, Cisco can't help but kiss him. It barely even qualifies as a kiss, all sloppy and dirty and both of them breathing too hard to actually kiss for any real length of time. But part of him needs it, needs to touch Barry and know that this is actually happening and not a figment of his overactive imagination. He lets his hands slide down Barry's back, over the swell of his ass to touch where his cock disappears into Barry's body. Part of him still can not believe that, and the other part is too busy mentally cataloguing every moment for future masturbation to have an opinion on reality.

He shifts, intending to get leverage to fuck up into him, but Barry's hands grip at his shoulders, holding him down. His eyes are shut tight and he's gasping hot little breaths against Cisco's mouth as he rocks himself back on Cisco's cock. Once, twice, three times and then he comes hard, leaving streaks up both their chests. Barry very nearly screams. Cisco has neighbors, and Barry's probably giving them quite the soundtrack, but Cisco can't find it in him to care. If his landlord kicks him out, that's fine. He'll find an apartment with soundproofing and then invite Barry over to christen it, if he's willing.

"Fuck," Barry says, and Cisco has to catch him around the waist so that he doesn't fall off. "Fuck, Cisco, shit, I'm sorry, I—"

"Hey," Cisco says. "Hey, shh, it's okay. We knew that was going to happen."

Barry clenches his fingers against Cisco's chest and gasps, trying to catch his breath. "I know, fuck, you feel _so_ good, it's been _years_ —"

"I know," Cisco murmurs. He kisses Barry's forehead and combs his fingers through Barry's hair. His breathing is starting to resume a more normal pace and Cisco spares a glance over at the tablet to confirm that his vitals are within an acceptable range. "You don't need to apologize," he promises. "It's kind of hot. I've never been with a guy who could get off from being fucked before."

Barry lets out a soft laugh. "I never used to be able to. Guess it's the speed thing."

Cisco nods. "You okay? Because _dios mio_ , Barry, I need to fuck you."

"Yeah," Barry says. "Absolutely yes."

Cisco sighs in relief, then carefully flips them over so he's on top and Barry's on his back, knees bent up by his shoulders. Cisco kisses him once before he lets go, fucking into Barry hard. He doesn't go for fast, that's Barry's thing, but he goes for deep, bottoming out in Barry every thrust. Barry clutches at him, fingers scrabbling over his shoulders before finally gripping Cisco's arms, and moans, long and low.

"Jesus, Barry," Cisco gasps. "Fuck, you look so fucking good like this. You're so good, Barry, so fucking good at this, a fucking _natural_ , I could do this _forever_ , just spend eternity inside you, _fuck_."

He thinks he might've switched in and out of Spanish, but Barry seems to understand him, all but shouting his name on repeat, _Cisco, Cisco, Cisco_ , and then Barry comes _again_ before Cisco follows.

It's silent after, the only sound the two of them desperately trying to catch their breaths, and then Cisco pulls out and Barry whimpers, low and soft.

"Are you okay?" Cisco asks.

Barry doesn't answer immediately, instead reaching for first the water and then one of the protein bars. He only speaks when he's finished it, eyes closed but hands still on Cisco, petting over his hip like if he lets go, all of this is over.

"Yeah," he says. "That last one made me dizzy. Sugar must've been too low."

"That it?" Cisco asks. "Nothing else? You're not sore, or —"

"The good kind of sore," Barry says. "But that'll go away in a minute or two."

Cisco squeezes Barry's bicep, then asks innocently, "So if I asked you to clean us up, maybe change the sheets…"

Barry rolls his eyes, but then he disappears and a red streak zooms around the room, moving Cisco this way and that, before finally resolving itself back into Barry Allen. The bed sheets have been changed and Cisco's been cleaned off. He'll need a shower in the morning, but he's definitely good enough for now. Barry's much the same, and he's laying down beside Cisco, facing him with an inexplicably shy smile.

"We didn't get around to much science," he admits.

"The sensors picked everything up," Cisco says. "We got some solid data."

"Good," Barry says. "That...that was the point, so...good."

Cisco nods. "It was fun, though. Wasn't it?"

"Yeah." Barry laughs. "It's a good thing you're not my enemy."

"Why's that?"

"One more and I'd have been knocked out," Barry jokes. "You'd be the first villain to kill your nemesis through the power of sex."

"Ha ha." Cisco snorts. "What would I even call myself?"

"I don't know," Barry says. "You're the name guy. You can pick."

Cisco doesn't have any immediate ideas, so instead he reaches out and brushes Barry's hair back from his forehead. "This isn't weird, right? I mean...we were supposed to be doing it for science and then…"

"I don't think so," Barry says. "It's not like we took the sensors off or anything."

"Oh," Cisco says. "So as long as we leave the sensors on, it's fine." He laughs. "That's a pretty thin line we've set for ourselves."

"But an important one," Barry says amiably. "It's...Cisco, I don't feel weird about this. Maybe I'm supposed to, but I don't. I just feel...happy. _Satisfied._ " He wiggles his eyebrows in what Cisco thinks might be an attempt at sexiness, but gives up halfway through and laughs.

"Yeah," Cisco says. "Me, too."

Barry leans over and kisses Cisco softly on the lips, just once, before pulling back. "This can be a casual thing, if we want it to be," he says. "You, me, occasionally some science. Why not?"

"Sure," Cisco says. "Casual thing with occasional science. We can do that."

Barry beams at him and something in Cisco's chest clenches tight.

 

**Earth-1**

Cisco's hair is probably a mess by the time Barry sets him down in his own apartment, but all things considered, he has bigger problems.

His knees are weak, and he barely makes it to the couch before they give out. He hears a whooshing noise, then Barry is crouched down in front of him with a bag of frozen peas, a bottle of water, and a handful of painkillers. He looks worried, so Cisco tries to give him a reassuring smile, but it comes out closer to a grimace.

"You should put this on your eye," he says, holding out the peas. Cisco takes it gratefully and presses it to the blossoming shiner he's going to be nursing for the next few days. Barry deposits a dose of the pills into his hand, and Cisco pops them into his mouth, automatically reaching for the water. Barry uncaps it and presses it to his lips _for_ him, which is a little ridiculous because Cisco's not _dying_ or anything, but Barry's mouth is set into a fine line and Cisco figures he's entitled to his concern.

"Thanks," he says. "For this and for the rescue."

"I told you I wasn't letting you get hurt by a Snart again."

"Technically it was Heat Wave," Cisco says. He shifts the peas off his eye, touches it gently, winces, and shifts it back.

"Hey," Barry says softly. "Hey, leave that on there. You don't have my healing."

"Let me borrow it?" Cisco jokes weakly.

"I would if I could," Barry says. He reaches out and brushes Cisco's hair out of his good eye and Cisco shivers against his own will. If Barry notices, he doesn't mention it. "Are you sure you don't want me to take you to S.T.A.R. Labs? Or at least call Caitlin? I could Skype her so she could get a look at your injuries."

"I'm fine," Cisco promises. "Are you? I didn't even think to ask."

"I'm good." He offers Cisco the water again, and Cisco obediently takes a drink. He feels guilty for making Barry worry; the least he can do is go along with it if Barry needs to play mother hen for a while to reassure himself.

"Hey," Cisco says. He takes hold of Barry's arm, stilling it. "I— I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault," Barry says, but he doesn't meet Cisco's eyes.

"Thank you," Cisco says, giving Barry's arm a squeeze. "It's nice of you to play the martyr, but it _is_ my fault. I should've listened to you."

Barry sighs and runs a hand over his face. "Cisco, it's not your fault. It isn't even Lisa's. I saw her face. She had no idea Snart and Rory were going to show up."

"But if I'd listened to you, it wouldn't—"

"Cisco," Barry interrupts. "You went on a date. That's not a crime."

"It is when it leads to half a million dollars in structural damage to my favorite ice rink."

Barry snorts out a laugh. "Well, taking Captain Cold's sister to an ice rink _was_ a pretty bad idea."

Cisco covers his good eye with his free hand. "Yeah," he laughs. "That was pretty stupid."

"But I don't blame you," Barry says. "I save people all the time. So tonight I had to save you." He shrugs. "Tomorrow you'll probably have to save me. We live in Central City. It just happens."

Cisco uncovers his eyes, both of them, to properly look Barry in the face. "Still."

Barry squeezes his hand. "Still nothing. I— I know I was kind of an ass about it, but...you're allowed to date who you want. Lisa Snart included."

"Yeah, about Lisa…"

"Cisco—"

"No, let me say it. Look, Barry, I like Lisa. I like her a _lot_. When she walks in a room, everything just...shifts. She's magnetic."

"Yeah, she's great, I get it—"

"No, you don't," Cisco interrupts. "Barry, what I'm trying to say is that I really _like_ Lisa. But dating her puts you in danger. It gives her brother direct access to you, even more than he has already. And I won't do that anymore. Everything that Snart has over you — the guns, your identity — it's all because of me." Barry starts to interrupt but Cisco's not stopping, not now. "Stop, Barry, I'm a grown up and I'm responsible for my own actions. No, I didn't mean for those things to happen, but they did, and that's on me. I've made you vulnerable enough to Captain Cold already. I won't do it anymore. Yes, I like Lisa, but if the choice is dating her or protecting you… I will _always_ pick you, Barry. You're my best friend."

Barry looks at him with wet eyes and covers his mouth with his hand. Cisco's seen him make that face hundreds of times but it never fails to take his breath away when it's directed at him.

"Are you sure?"

Cisco taps his temple, winces when it makes his eye hurt, and puts the peas back on his black eye. "Yeah," he says. "I pick you in this universe and I pick you in the others. I've made this decision on millions of Earths in millions of universes. It doesn't matter how much I like somebody. You come first."

Barry hugs him, squeezes him so tight that for just a moment, Cisco can't breathe. When Barry releases him, he only retreats enough to press a kiss to Cisco's forehead before finally letting him go. His voice is wet and rough when he finally says, "Okay. That's— Cisco—"

"It's okay," Cisco says. "You don't have to say anything. I just wanted you to know."

"Thank you." Barry takes his free hand and gives it a quick squeeze, but this time, he doesn't let go.

 

**Earth-8,579**

"Barry, what are you doing? You're supposed to be—"

"I know what I'm supposed to be doing," Barry says. "And I'm not going to do it."

There's an overwhelming silence in the cortex as they all stare at him, and Cisco can see it on their faces, the mixture of relief and guilt that's fighting for dominance in his own heart. He meant it when he told Barry he wanted him to save his family, but until Barry spoke every single fiber of his being was fighting the urge to grab Barry and spirit him away, to take him far away from S.T.A.R. Labs and Eobard Thawne. To make him stay.

"But," Joe says, "What about your mom? I thought—"

"It's what he wants," Barry says. "He _wants_ me to tear this universe apart so that he can get back to his own timeline. And for what, so he can go kill me in the future? He's been playing us since I was eleven years old. Why would I do what he wants now?"

The assembled group stares at each other, none of them knowing quite what to do. Iris is the first to step forward, putting a hand on his shoulder and catching his eyes. "That's some solid reasoning, Barry," she placates. "It's— top notch, really. But this is your chance to get the life you wanted. The life he took from you. Are you sure? Are you really, really sure that you don't want to change it?"

Cisco feels it in his chest when Barry looks around at the group, at the friends and family he only has because of the sociopathic murderer currently pacing in their holding cell. And Barry does what is probably the bravest thing Cisco's ever seen him do, even after months of watching him save Central City. He nods.

"I love my mom," he says to none of them in particular. "But my dad said that if Mom got a say, she'd tell me not to do it, and I think I finally understand. It's a huge risk, and what's the reward? Losing all of you, my family? I didn't chose to become the Flash. The Man in Yellow chose that for me. But every single one of you in this room chose me. You chose me as Barry Allen and you chose me as the Flash, and you took me into your hearts and made me your family. So now it's my turn. I choose you."

***

The fallout is a mess. None of them know what to do with Eobard Thawne and the arguments about it leave Cisco exhausted. Their options are limited and every single one of them knows that if left in containment for long enough, Wells will find a way out of the cell.

In the end, they do what a month ago Cisco would've considered the unthinkable: they track down Hartley Rathaway.

It's dangerous and stupid and likely to blow up in their faces, but he's the only person they know who's ever managed to be a step ahead of Eobard Thawne. The fact that he's the only person who hates Wells as much as they do is another point in his favor.

It takes weeks before things start to even resemble something like normalcy, until their pile of crises reduces itself down to the usual "metahuman can't control their powers" level of drama, but finally, at long last, Cisco's life gets itself back on track. The peace of his lab is at once unfamiliar and quintessentially _home_ , and he has to spend countless moments just running his hand over the machines, the counters, the tech, reacquainting himself with his own creations. He turns them over in his hands, smiling as he remembers why he made each one. To save Barry. Always to save Barry.

He's startled by a flurry of papers, the surety that Barry is in the room without even needing to use his eyes. He feels Barry's hand on his shoulder before he can even fully process the thought.

"Hey," Barry says softly. "Can I talk to you?"

"Of course."

Barry takes his hand, leading him through the halls into the treadmill room. It's as private as they'll be able to get, barring Wells' secret room, but neither of them are willing to go in there by unspoken agreement. But all of them had known that Hartley would bug the entire place when they let him back into S.T.A.R. Labs to deal with Thawne. Every single one of them considered it a price worth paying.

Barry sits down on the edge of the treadmill, which Cisco takes as his cue to follow suit. Barry's still got his hand, now held between both of his, and he's staring at Cisco with those big Barry eyes that make Cisco feel weak. Cisco swallows roughly, trying to convince himself that what he thinks is about to happen is impossible, that Barry would never, and then Barry opens his mouth and his words are all Cisco can think about.

"Cisco, I...that day, when I made the choice not to go back in time, I meant what I said about choosing all of you. I mean, I knew Wells would've screwed me over if I'd done it, that's just what he _does_ , but I probably would've done it anyway because it was my mom. But I couldn't lose you guys. All of you. You mean so much to me. Whenever I thought of having a life without all of you in it, it felt like you were all dying. It felt like grief."

"Barry—"

Barry cups Cisco's cheek with his free hand, turning him until they're staring straight into each other's eyes. Cisco's breath hitches in his chest when Barry licks his lips and every last bit of it is too much.

"You died once," Barry says. "And I— I couldn't lose you again. _You_ , Cisco. _All_ of it was awful to think about, and I couldn't have given up _anyone_ , but when I thought about losing _you_...I didn't even know you were dead until you were already still alive, but the idea of you being gone _forever_ —"

"I'm here," Cisco says. He touches Barry's arms, his chest, his neck. He holds Barry's face in both his hands and every inch of him feels like it's on fire. "I'm here, Barry, you didn't lose any of us. Especially not me. You could never. I'd track you down in a thousand timelines, if I had to."

"I chose you, Cisco," Barry whispers. "I chose _you_. I'd choose you over and over again if I had to. Do you understand? I pick you."

"Yeah," Cisco breathes. "Yeah, Barry, I understand, I—"

And then Barry's kissing him, warm and soft but desperate, kissing Cisco like he wants to melt into him, like he needs Cisco to live. They part for air and Barry presses their foreheads together, thumb stroking over Cisco's cheekbone. They pant against each other's mouths, sharing quick, needy kisses in between breaths. Barry grins at him, wide and happy, and Cisco thinks they must look ridiculous, sitting there holding onto each other like their lives depend on it and smiling at each other so brightly they may very well drown out the sun if they keep at it.

But he can't stop, and it seems Barry can't either, because he kisses Cisco again and again and _again_ until Cisco thinks he might drown in it, and then Barry asks, "Can we go to your apartment? Please?"

"Yeah," Cisco says. "Yeah, we can _absolutely_ do that."

 

**Earth-1**

When Cisco wakes, the first thing he notices is feel of someone's hand in his, holding onto him tightly. He smiles before he even opens his eyes, already knowing the _who?_ , if not the _why?_ or _where?_. 

"Hey," Barry says gently. "Good morning."

Cisco opens his eyes, gets a good look at the ceiling of his own apartment, and then closes them again. "Hey," he groans. "Lights?"

"Sorry," Barry says. There's a whoosh, the lights go off, and then Barry is back beside him without Cisco ever feeling Barry let go of his hand.

"Thanks," Cisco says, and opens his eyes more slowly this time, letting them get used to the dim light that's filtering in from behind his curtains. "What happened? Who hit me?"

"Captain Morgan." Barry laughs quietly. "Caitlin made us go to karaoke and you had a few too many rum and Cokes."

"Ah," Cisco says, then winces when it makes his head hurt. "Sorry. Did I do anything stupid?"

Barry shrugs. "You made me duet with you on like, half of Lady Gaga's debut album, but it wasn't so bad. We actually sounded pretty decent. Caitlin got mad and said, 'Why can everyone sing except me?!' and left us there."

Cisco covers his face with both hands. "Oh, God. I'm so sorry."

"Don't be," Barry says. "I had fun. Besides, you're kinda cute when you're drunk."

"I don't _feel_ very cute," Cisco sighs. His head is _throbbing_.

"You really are, though," Barry says. His voice is so quiet that Cisco almost doesn't hear him. He's not even entirely sure Barry realizes he said it out loud.

Cisco carefully turns to face him, studying Barry's face, then asks, "What are we doing?"

He can see the line of Barry's neck shift as he swallows. He looks unfairly good, even when his expression turns more serious.

"I don't know," Barry admits. "Do you want it to stop?"

"No," Cisco says so quickly that it makes them both blush. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean for any of this to happen. But I don't want it to stop."

"Hey," Barry shushes. "Cisco, it's...it's not a bad thing. I don't know what it _is_ , but it's not _bad_. It's— well, it's actually pretty great, isn't it?"

Cisco can't stop the smile that tugs at the corners of his mouth. "Yeah," he says. "Of course it is."

Barry rises from his chair, hesitantly leaning closer and closer until it's inevitable, until their joined hands are pressed between their chests as Barry tentatively kisses him just once on the lips. 

"You need to brush your teeth," Barry whispers after a quiet moment. "No offense." He's grinning, which takes the sting out of the statement, and Cisco can't stop himself from laughing.

"Do it for me. I'm convalescing."

Barry rolls his eyes, but obliges, speeding around the apartment to collect a toothbrush and toothpaste from the bathroom. The odd sensation of someone else brushing his teeth fills Cisco's mouth, then it's over and Barry's lips are on his again.

"Better," Barry whispers. Cisco laughs despite himself, pushing at Barry's shoulder until he leans back, grinning, and then relaxes back against the couch. He gives Barry what he hopes is a look of fond exasperation.

There will be time to talk later, when Cisco's hangover has abated and they've had their fill of shared kisses. For now, it's enough to know that they've found each other, that no matter what this particular universe has thrown at them, they've chosen each other. They have and will choose each other over and over again, because it doesn't matter how or why they meet or what circumstances they find themselves in. All of that is just details.

What matters is this: their hands clasped together, their lives cosmically intertwined into infinity.

**Author's Note:**

> I'd say I'm sorry, but I'm really, really not. Blame crabsarelove and Carlos's smile.


End file.
